10th November 2026
John Healey’s 2026 Autumn Budget brings both good and bad news for small businesses across Staffordshire. There is support through business rates, investment in Stafford town centre and the possibility of more local control over funding. However, rising wage costs and changes to tax relief when selling a business could create additional pressures.
Now that we’ve had time to consider what these changes actually mean and how they affect your business, it’s time to start planning what decisions to make to ensure you get the most out of this Budget and aren’t caught out by any changes.
Leon Nelson, Trainee Solicitor in our Corporate & Commercial team at Myers & Co, breaks down what the Autumn Budget means for small business owners in Staffordshire, helping you plan your next steps with clarity and confidence.
Business rates are charged on most non-domestic premises.
From April 2027, the full Small Business Rate Relief threshold for qualifying retail, hospitality and leisure properties in England will rise from £12,000 to £18,000. Reduced relief will extend to a rateable value of £21,000. This is targeted support, not a threshold increase for every business property.
For example, an independent café in Newcastle-under-Lyme with a rateable value of £16,000 could qualify for full relief, provided it meets the conditions. Rateable value is the valuation used to calculate rates, not the amount of the bill.
Pubs, social clubs and most live music venues will receive additional support. Other qualifying retail, hospitality and leisure bills will be protected against above-inflation increases for two years, subject to exceptions. A real-terms freeze does not necessarily mean an unchanged cash bill.
Check your eligibility and eventual bill with your local council before committing any anticipated saving.
From 1 April 2027, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over will increase by 3.9% to £13.21 an hour. The minimum rate for workers aged 18 to 20 will rise to £11.27.
These increases support employees, but employers need to budget for them. The Government estimates that a full-time worker receiving the National Living Wage will gain around £910 in annual gross earnings. Actual costs depend on hours worked, alongside associated payroll costs.
Review staffing and premises costs together. For a café or shop with tight margins, the useful figure is the overall change in expenditure, rather than either announcement viewed alone.
The Budget allocates £10 million towards refurbishment of Stafford Market Hall and a hub supporting new and small businesses, subject to approval of the final business case. This is not an immediately available grant for individual businesses.
The Government also says it is in the final stages of agreeing a Mayoral Strategic Authority for Stoke and Staffordshire, with local consultation the next step.
This could bring more local decision-making, but business owners should distinguish future opportunities from funding they can access now.
Potentially, depending on your gain, eligibility and previous relief claims.
Capital Gains Tax can arise on the profit made when selling a business or shares. Business Asset Disposal Relief, usually shortened to BADR, currently taxes qualifying gains at 18%, subject to a £1 million lifetime limit. The Government has announced legislation reducing that limit to £500,000 for qualifying disposals on or after 6 April 2027. Previous qualifying claims count towards the limit.
Consider an owner making an £800,000 qualifying gain who has never claimed BADR. Under the new changes, only £500,000 could benefit, with the remaining £300,000 subject to the normal Capital Gains Tax rules. The final bill depends on the owner’s circumstances; being a basic-rate taxpayer before the sale does not establish the rate applying to the whole gain.
Early advice matters. Special rules are proposed for certain contracts signed before April 2027 but completed afterwards, so signing early will not automatically preserve the existing limit.
The proposed Founders’ Relief would offer a 10% Capital Gains Tax rate on up to £10 million of qualifying lifetime gains, for qualifying share disposals from 6 April 2027. Its detailed design remains under consultation.
It targets founders and significant early investors in high-growth, innovative companies. Ownership, holding-period and company conditions are proposed. Starting and successfully running a business will not, by itself, establish eligibility.
Owners should therefore avoid treating it as an automatic replacement for BADR. Check eligibility before building a sale or retirement plan around the headline rate.
Start with your operating budget, then think about your longer-term plans for owning and running the business.
Your personal finances should also be part of the picture. While headline Income Tax, National Insurance and VAT rates have not increased, the Budget introduces higher tax rates on savings and property income from April 2027.
If the Budget has prompted you to rethink the future of your business, our Corporate & Commercial team at Myers & Co can help you put those plans into practice.
Whether you are considering a sale, change in ownership or succession, we can advise on the legal arrangements involved and work alongside your accountant or tax adviser to make sure your plans support your wider business objectives.
If the Budget has prompted you to review your plans, give us a call on 01782 491045, or make an enquiry to find out how we can help.
